The children had gone out together in the afternoon, according to their families.

When they did not return even after it had turned dark, the parents rushed to look for them.

Other villagers who joined the search found a floating body in the 1.5-meter-deep pond near the children's houses at around 7:30 p.m.

The bodies of the others were recovered one hour later.

The pond has been left abandoned for several years, according to villagers.

On August 14, four children in Hanoi drowned in a large construction site pit that had filled up after heavy rains.

According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam has the highest rate of child drowning in Asia, with 10 children killed from drowning each day, seven of whom are children under 15.

The ministry has repeatedly asked localities to boost swimming training for children and erect warning signs in waterway spots.